title: [Current situation of A/H1N1 influenza in the world].
abstract: Between March and April, 2009 a new strain of influenza capable of causing severe disease and mortality in humans was identified in North America, leading to the declaration by the World Health Organization (WHO) of the first pandemic of the 21st Century. The prompt intervention of World Health authorities allowed the early identification of the virus as triple assortment A(H1N1) derived from avian, swine and human viruses, and a descendant of the A(H1N1) virus that caused the 1918 influenza pandemic. International reports reflect a homogeneous disease that affects mainly the young, with severe cases in chronic patients, small children, the elderly, and pregnant women. Currently, the whole world, under the leadership of the WHO, is implementing pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions to try and stop viral transmission. There are still many questions unanswered, particularly about the future behavior of the virus. Nevertheless, until now the world has demonstrated the capacity to successfully face, in a coordinated fashion, one of the greatest known threats to international public health.
authors.affiliation: Instituto Carlos Slim de la Salud, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, DF México. mbetancourt@salud.carlosslim.org
authors.forename: Miguel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Betancourt-Cravioto
authors.forename: Pablo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kuri Morales
mesh_terms: D014943:Global Health; D006801:Humans; D053118:Influenza A Virus, H1N1 Subtype; D007251:Influenza, Human / Q000453:epidemiology*